Counting Coup
by Koolaid58
Summary: The most prestigious act a warrior can accomplish against his enemy is to count coup. The brave warrior touches his enemy and escapes unharmed. Bane has Gotham in his grip but it all starts to slip away when an unknown person performs a very public act of defiance.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: First off I don't own The Dark Knight Rises and I'm not profiting from this story in anyway apart from the enjoyment of writing it. I hope you enjoy, sorry ahead of time for any grammar issue I've never been very good with comma placement. **

The stairwell was a hot and dark place, quiet except for the sound of slightly labored breathing. Jogging up eight flights of stairs can do that to a girl thought the girl in question. She had a large black backpack that did nothing to ease the ascent. The roof access door opened with the unhappy groan of disuse.

She walked out into the cold crisp morning air. As the weak rays of the newly risen sun hit her face she took a long calming breath. She moved slowly to the edge of the building crouching low to peer down at the street below. There was a small city park about a half city block wide in front of her and beyond that the grand Gotham courthouse.

There was the hint of a southeastern breeze that would have ruffled her shoulder length brown hair if it hadn't already been tucked, pinned, and tied up so that not one single strand was free.

"Can't have anything getting in my line of sight." She thought.

After she scoped out the area below she swung the pack off her back, sat in the white gravel covering the roof with her legs stretched out in front of her, and her back up against the ledge she had just been looking over. She had to get busy because even though the streets were empty now soon they would be full of people going in and out of the courthouse demanding justice.

But she had no concern for those people, she has waiting for a very particular someone. As she waited she pulled her bag close and began to unpack it. First came the stock, next the receiver and upper assembly, then came the barrel, and lastly and most importantly the scope. She gently handled each part while putting the pieces together.

Once the riffle was assembled and she laid it to the side she reached into her pocket and pulled out a worn bit of ribbon. It was cornflower blue and it flowed like water as she placed it on the ledge and anchored it with a pile of the roof top pebbles. Everything was set up now all she had to do was wait, and as she did she focused on her breathing, long and steady breathes.

She heard him long before she saw him, not much traffic passed down this road and in her relaxed state the rumble of motorcycle engines rang clear above the growing chatter of the people that moved below. She watched the man and his dogs ascend the grand courthouse steps and enter the building. He gave off a feeling of power, menacing, and confidence that she felt all the way up in her roof top perch.

Now that he was in the building she got into position and once she was there she would stay that way until he immerged, wither it would take minutes or hours. Breathing, always breathing while her eyes flicked from the ribbon to the courthouse, time passed slowly ever so slowly but he finally came out.

It took everything in her to keep her heart from racing as she looked at his tall figure in her sights. As he moved down the stone steps he paused, standing alone surveying the city around him like everything that his eyes fell on was his. "It's time for that to change" she whispered as her finger gentle pulled the trigger.

The crack of the riffle reverberated of the walls of the surrounding buildings. She paused for just a moment, one leisurely second she allotted herself to take in the effects of her actions. Then she was moving, repeating her mantra again and again in her head, "Shoot, Move, Shoot, Move." She broke down her riffle and packed it away in her bag.

Then she was on her feet swiftly striding over to the northeast side of the building where the fire escapes gave a direct path to the ground. If she'd been paying any attention she would have heard the screams and chaos in front of the courthouse. She swung herself onto the ladder leading to the fire escape platform and slide her was down. "Just like in the movies," she thought with a smile to herself.

When her feet hit the platform she propelled her body down the escape stairs with practiced speed and accuracy. In just a few minutes she'd gone from her roof top nest to the grimy back alley. She turned and headed east down a connecting side ally at a fast pace.

She wound through a few more streets until she found her bike. It was one of her most valuable possessions second only to the riffle strapped to her back. It had a utilitarian design but she loved its straight lines and most importantly it was reliable. She had parked so far from the courthouse with the hope that her pursuers wouldn't hear her kick starting her bike and they'd have no idea what she looked like or how she got away.

"A ghost, the goal is to be a ghost" she thought to herself as she reeved the throttle and motored on to the main streets of Gotham.

"There were a lot of terrible things about New Gotham," she thought "but I got to say I don't miss the traffic."

She headed up town a few miles keeping as low a profile as possible until she pulled into the alley adjacent to her apartment building. She rolled her bike onto a cellar elevator platform. Her building was so old that it was crank operated so she lowered herself and her bike into the basement of the building. Not for the first time since it all happened that she was glad for this low tech device. It kept her bike off the streets and it didn't require power, which was spotty at best since the city was thrown into chaos.

Once she was sure her bike was safely locked away she climbed more stairs up to her apartment. She unlocked and relocked her door and placed her bag on the kitchen table so she could clean and oil her riffle after dinner. Her place was small and old fashioned but she fit there and there was one feature about the place she wouldn't give up for the world. She heard the telltale cry of said feature and looked to her window. On the ledge outside was a male falcon, one half of the breeding pair that called her wide window ledge home.

"Hey Freddie, see anything interesting today?" she asked. The falcon squawked low in response. "You know Freddie, I counted coup today."

The Falcon looked her way with a tilt of his head.

"I counted coup on the big man today, on big bad Bane, and you know what Freddie I think change is on the way for New Gotham, I've got a feeling things are about to get interesting."

**Hope you liked it, reviews are appreciated. Also I know for sure there's another chapter to this story so I'll try to get it out soon. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note: I don't own anything "The Dark Knight Rises" related. Also thanks to MaroonShoes and atiketook for the reviews. **

Standing on the courthouse steps Bane heard the crack of a high powered rifle and he saw the mussel flash from the rooftop across the park. It was one of a very few times in his life that he froze in surprise, looking up to where the flash had been he saw a figure standing for a moment on the roof looking down at him.

The figure wasn't far off but the recently risen sun backlit him to the point of anonymity, "Like a bird in flight" Bane thought fleetingly.

The moment seemed to hold in the air, an electric charge between the shooter and the target, but then the figure moved and the screams and chaos started. Bane took a rasping breath through his mask and tilted his head to the right. On the crest of his right jacket lapel he saw that the bullet had ripped through the thick fleece. As his men began surrounding him in order to provide cover he looked behind him for the briefest second and saw where the bullet had buried itself into the stone steps.

"Sir we need to move" Barsad said to his left with the shortness of breath that signaled his high adrenaline level.

"The shooter is gone he was on that building across the park." Barsad followed his leader's line of sight and took in the building and the roadways surrounding it. "Take the men down those roads and check all the alleys, I want him caught." Bane ordered. With practiced efficiency Bane's men mounted their bikes and started the hunt.

Bane descended the courthouse steps and strode purposefully toward the park leaving the cowering people of Gotham behind him. He approached the building the shot had come from and saw that it was one of the many legal buildings no longer in uses since he had taken the city. He entered the dim main lobby and headed up the stairwell to the roof.

Bane pushed through the roof access door and stepped out into the cold air breathing in deeply in almost perfect emulation of the shooter's entrance to the roof top. His steps crunched lightly in the gravel for such an imposing figure as he made his way to the ledge. He could smell the acridness of burnt gunpowder, a smell to him that was more familiar than most any other.

He placed his left hand on the ledge leaning slightly out over the edge. His other hand picked up the brass casing that had been standing up on the ledge as if waiting for his arrival. He looked from his position down to where he'd been standing and the thought that the shooter had just had poor aim left his mind.

His instincts told him that there was more to this situation than an assassination attempt gone wrong. "Something altogether more interesting" Bane said to the wind.

Turning he pulled out a portable radio from inside his jacket. He called for Barsad and because he knew that just about every government communications resource was being used to monitor Gotham he spoke in code, telling Barsad to meet him at city hall. He pocketed his radio and turned the casing over in his hand. He noted that it was a .308 Winchester round which surprised him, most snipers seemed to favor a larger caliber, the one he held only had a range of 800 meters.

He tucked the shell in the chest pocket of his jacket and pushed away from the edge. He moved across the roof to the fire escape and descended noting the speed the shooter must have had to negotiate the escape and elude his men. Finding no other clues he headed back to his bike and headed north toward city hall. By time Barsad returned Bane was in the mayor's office with his feet propped up on the grand oak desk. Barsad saw that his commander was fiddling with a spent bullet casing when he walked in,

"What is our next step sir?"

"We need to get into the city records my friend, a rifle like this requires registration and the list will be short. I think it is reasonable to say we'll be able to find him by night fall."

* * *

The knocking at the door pulled her out of her discussion with Freddie. "Lena dear are you home?" came the voice of an elderly woman on the other side of the door.

"Yeah Mrs. Scottsdale I'm home," she shouts as she moves to open the door.

"Oh good, Henry and I get so worried when you go out." Mrs. Scottsdale stated as Lena opened the door. "Are you coming over for dinner tonight?"

"I think I'm gonna have to take a rain check Mrs. S, I've had a busy day and I think I'm gonna have a nice bubble bath." She said with a dreamy smile of anticipation.

"Well you make sure you come over tomorrow, we can't have you living off Rayman noodles." Mrs. Scottsdale chided. Lena stifled a chuckle at Mrs. S's terrible pronunciation.

"Yes, tomorrow I promise. Do you and Mr. S. need any supplies, the word on the street is that emergency relief supplies will be arriving tomorrow."

"Oh if you'd be able to pick up some tea, that would be so nice. We don't need any food, Henry is a bit of a hoarder when it comes to nonperishables so we're doing just fine."

"I'm glad to hear it." Lena said with a genuine smile. "Well you take care Mrs. S and make sure you lock your doors good and tight."

"You do the same dearie, we'll see you tomorrow."

Lena closed her door and headed back into the kitchen to begin the dirty work of rifle cleaning. "At least I only put one round through the barrel, that'll keep the mess down," She thought to herself.

After inspecting the scope and rifle for damage she brushed and rubbed the barrel, upper and lower receiver, ejection port, and all the other nooks and crannies that acquire powder and grime. While some might shy away from the work, she loved it. The feel of grit and oil on her hands was natural and the routine nature of the cleaning let her mind wander off into an almost meditative state.

All too soon she was finished and looking down at her blackened fingers, she decided she was well over due for that bubble bath. Her old apartment may not have come with a stainless steel kitchen and the wiring probably not up to code but the bathroom, which in Lena's opinion was the only room worth worrying about, was amazing.

It had the old tiny hexagonal floor tiles and the classic claw foot tub. "It may cost an arm and a leg to fill but I doubt any one is going to be sending out water bills anytime soon." Lena thought. She deftly used her foot to stopper the tub and then her forearms to start the gush of piping hot water. Once the filling process was started she moved to the sink to wash of the majority of grim so she could have a nice soak without sooty water. With the bubbles added and her mp3 player jammed in her ears she eased herself into the painful yet entirely pleasurable heat of the water. With a deep relaxed breath she closed her eyes and began to enjoy.

* * *

It took longer to acquire the list of registered rifles than Bane would have liked but finally Barsad brought it into the office.

"List of names, addresses, and as much background information we could get a hold of," Barsad stated to the boss.

"Thank you my friend," Bane boomed through his mask with mechanical joviality. He took the list and began looking it over. He saw immediately that several riffles on the list were antique models which he disregarded as unlikely. About mid-way down the list he saw something promising.

"Ex-military…Hmmm, Barsad have men check all these locations. I'll be going to this one personally." Bane stated as he tapped the name.

The sun was setting and it gave the empty streets a long and shadowy effect that disturbed the average Gothamite but to Bane it felt like home. Not that he really understood the meaning of the word. He made his way uptown to the run down building of an L. Newman. His men moved silently ahead and behind him clearing the halls of the apartment building.

As he strode closer to his destination he almost felt regret for the short-lived game he had been playing. It had only been a week since the takeover of Gotham and already he grew tired of people he had liberated. Weakness ran rampant through their numbers and weakness was what Bane found most tiresome and what he sought to stamp out. He stepped up to the fourth apartment on the left and stood for a moment while his men fidgeted in anticipation.

* * *

Lena was in the middle of a serious rock session. The tunes were blasting in her ears and her hair that she'd shampooed into a beehive was on the verge of flopping into her face and causing her eyes some serious pain but she could care less. As she serenaded her rubber duck the stress of the day melted away. Her carefully built façade began to crumble. In the tub sat not a controlled calculating warrior but a young woman that was still managing to enjoy the little things in life. She soaked and to her it was one of life's rare and perfect moments, completely oblivious to the outside world.

* * *

Bane took his rather large foot and connected it with the less than sturdy door and he damn near took it off its hinges. It slammed back into the wall and his men entered the apartment. He walked in last with his hands gripping his lapels. The apartment was dimly lit but there was a stronger light coming from down a hallway to the left.

He moved towards the door that the light was creeping out from under and paused to listen. He heard nothing and was holding his breath so as to not make a sound himself. His large hand grasped the silver door handle and it turned smoothly in his hand. When he heard the soft click of the lock opening he gently pushed the door inward and let it swing freely open. It made a creaking noise as it moved on its path toward the wall.

As it slowly open Bane stood looking in and what he saw gave him a mixed sense of surprise and excitement. The room was completely empty. As he stepped in to make absolutely sure there was no one in there Barsad came up to the doorway.

"Sir you need to come see this," was all he said to the large man.

Bane followed him out into the hall and down into the kitchen. There on the table was an unfired .308 rifle bullet standing tall and underneath it was a small scrap of paper. He picked up the bullet and rubbed it idly with his thumb. With his other hand he grabbed up the paper and read the neat small scripted.

It read: _So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness shall be the dancing._

Bane folded the paper and tucked it and the bullet into the inside chest pocket where the spent casing also resided. The ghost of a smile played on his lips as his men exited the apartment. He heard on the radio the code stating that all the other addresses on the list had been busts although none but the one Bane stood in had had a message.

"This venture may prove to be very interesting indeed." He shouted with sadistic cheerfulness that sent chills down the spines of his less hardened men. Bane marched from the building into the oncoming night that seemed to sallow him up entirely.

**These first two chapters came pretty easy to me but I'm working on developing ideas about where I want to go with this story so chapter three might take a little longer I hope you enjoyed. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I forgot to mention it in the last chapter but the quote Lena left Bane was by T.S. Elliot from the poem East Coker. I also don't own anything in the Dark Knight Rises. **

Lena's eyes snapped open. She heard muted rustling in the next room. She eased herself out of bed. Her feet touching the cold worn wooden floorboards made her cringe but she stayed silent as she reached for the handgun on the nightstand. Lena crept toward her bedroom door listening for the sound but heard nothing.

She carefully opened the door and scanned the room but didn't see anything out of place. Once she'd established that Bane wasn't lying in wait to wring her neck she walked into the room setting the gun on the kitchen table. Lena looked over to her door and noticed a small stack of papers had been slide under her door.

She cautiously walked to the door and crouched to pick up the stack. Lena examined the first page and realized it was a newspaper. She was thrown off a bit because most of the city services had shut done after Bane took the city. The only reason the power and water were still working was because those plants weren't located on the island, they were pumped in.

Her eyes caught on the title of the paper and she chuckled to herself. It read **New Gotham Times **and it amused her that someone else had adopted the same nickname for the city as she had. Scanning down she stopped chuckling and whispered "Whoa" as she saw the front page article.

The picture was a black and white shot of Bane with the torn jacket lapel clearly visible. As she read on, the events of the previous day were recounted with relatively little embellishments. The article had an air of rebellion to it and Lena wondered if Bane would take action against the people who had created it.

She strolled into her kitchen and laid the paper down as she moved to get the coffee pot started. Once the coffee was ready she poured she grabbed a pop tart from the pantry and sat down to finish the paper. Lena looked over the second page and cursed softly. An article there detailed the fact that emergency supplies were being brought to the island that day.

"Well I was hoping that every single person in Gotham wouldn't be showing up today for food but that's probably not gonna happen now." Lena said with a huff. "Well I better go check it out anyways, make sure everyone plays nice"

She got dressed in faded jeans and a long sleeve thermal with a tee shirt on over that and a thick zip up hoodie to top it off. Next she pulled on thick socks wiggling her toes in satisfaction at the warmth and worn black boots. Once she had all her clothes on she grabbed her belt and fed the back handgun holster onto it and situated it into place.

She picked up her Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm of the table and ejected the magazine checking to make sure it was at full capacity, she pulled back the slide and made sure there was a round chambered. Lena never carried a gun without a chambered round now a days but it was always better to check and know for sure. She knew that paranoia kept you alive in New Gotham.

After tucking a knife into her pants pocket and another into the top of her boot she moved into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wrangle her hair into order. She paused for a moment looking at her reflection listlessly. Her skin was lightly tanned and her honey brown eyes looked tired.

"Getting too old for this crap." She sighed as she pushed herself away from the sink.

Lena headed back into the kitchen and packed up her rifle and threw on her fitted black leather jacket and lifted the backpack onto her shoulders. She grabbed up a black ski mask and rolled it up so it functioned as a hat. The mask kinda creeped Lena out but a least it only had a slit for her eyes and not her mouth so if she ever needed to wear it she'd look more like a ninja than a bank robber.

She headed out the door turning to lock up when Mrs. Scottsdale poked her head out her door.

"Lena dear did you see they delivered the paper today? Henry was up early and he picked them off the front stoop and handed them out" she said in an excited tone.

"Yeah Mrs. S it was pretty cool it felt like a normal morning for once, tell Mr. S I say thank you." Lena replied with a grin.

"I read about that awful business down at the courthouse yesterday, please be careful out there dear." Nodding to Mrs. Scottsdale she made her way to the stairs. "And don't forget about supper!" Mrs. S called after her. Lena gave her a thumbs-up as she pushed through the door and headed down to the basement.

Using the lift she got her motorcycle onto the street and headed southeast. Lena figured that the main way supplies would be shipped into Gotham would be by truck using the only remaining bridge with supplementary drops around the city with helicopters. She made her way towards the ruined stadium which was the largest and closet public structure to the bridge.

If she was right FEMA would use the stadium parking lot as a staging area and distribute supplies to grocery stores around the city. Lena motored toward a twenty story building that would give her an open view of the surrounding area. She parked behind the building, instinct telling her she might have to make a quick getaway today. Lena poked her head around the building noting that from the fifth floor down the fire escape was a straight ladder down to the alleyway bellow.

"That could come in handy." She mumbled to herself.

Lena opted to ascend the fire escape instead of entering the building. Finally reaching the roof she dropped her backpack and sprawled on the ground taking a short break. As she looked up at the pale blue sky she could almost believe she was somewhere else, somewhere safe, almost. Letting out a long sigh Lena got to her feet and dragged her pack over to the edge.

She sat down with her legs crossed and poked her head over the ledge and scanned the stadium. The streets were quiet so Lena grabbed her bag and unpacked it carefully placing the individual riffle pieces down. She rummaged around and pulled out a pair of thick leather gloves and set them aside.

After she assembled her riffle she took out the scope but instead of attaching it Lena used it as a monocular to better assess the situation bellow. She waited…and waited. When about two hours had passed Lena finally heard the rumble of truck engines and saw the convoy headed her way.

A small smile played across her face and she muttered "It's nice to be right sometimes."

The sound of the trucks had brought people out onto the streets and a good size crowd had started moving toward the stadium. Twenty trucks rolled into the parking lot and Lena saw a man in the lead truck hop out and start directing the truck drivers. She watched as five trucks parked next to each other while the others headed into the city dispersing evenly down the side streets no doubt heading to the different grocers around town.

Lena glanced back at the stadium parking lot and was impressed to see the crowd being organized and people calmly waiting for supplies. Then she heard the sounds of motorcycles coming towards the stadium and she turned to see who was coming.

A small group of Bane's men rode up to the crowd five men on three bikes and started pushing their way through the crowd till they reached the man that had been organizing the crowd. Lena could see the unrest move through the crowd which turned into mob when two of Bane's men knocked the FEMA man down and moved toward two of the supply trucks.

As Lena slide the scope onto her riffle she heard shouts of protest from the crowd. The mob bellow pushed forward in outrage against the unfair acquisition of supplies. She got into position drawing the riffle to her shoulder as Bane's men started to pull away in the two trucks with the motorcycles leading the way.

Lena took a deep breath and focused on the lead bike just as the bikes were getting up to speed she fired. The back tire of the lead bike exploded and the rider struggled for control as it swayed out of control. The bike collided into to the two bikes behind it nicely and the riders went flying off sliding unconscious into the gutters. Lena heard the screams from the crowd as the gun fire caused panic in the masses.

She ignored this as she took aim again firing two shots in quick succession. The left side tires on the lead truck blew out and it swerved across the parking lot access gate and into a ticket booth while the second truck ran into the side of the lead. The crowd hushed when they saw the crash and suddenly they all started cheering as they rushed toward the trucks to off load the supplies.

"Well that worked out better that excepted." Lena stated happily as she quickly got to her feet.

She pulled a small slip of paper from her pocket using the spent shells to weight it down on the roof top. She broke down her riffle and packed it away efficiently her mantra repeating over and over in her head "Shoot and move Lena shoot and move."

Swinging her pack into place she grabbed up the gloves and put them on as she sprinted to the fire escape. She sped down the top fifteen flights and when she got to the fifth floor she grabbed the outside of the ladder and slide all the way to the ground causing the leather on her gloves to smoke a little from the friction. Coming down hard on the asphalt Lena's feet stung from the impact but she kept moving.

She hopped on her bike and kicked it to life as she pulled the mask down over her face. She raced down the alleyway and onto the main road quickly passing Bane's men who had just begun to recover from the crash. They chased after her but she was in the wind now and cruising through the city.

She took side alley after side alley weaving her way back to her apartment building. After loading her bike into the basement she headed up to her apartment and dropped off her riffle and changed into baggy cargo pants and an equally baggy winter coat just in case any of Bane's men had gotten a look at her clothes.

She had a few hours to kill before dinner so she reattached her handgun holster and headed back to the street. With her head down and her hands stuffed in her pockets she made her way towards the closest grocery store two blocks down and three blocks over. As Lena walked she saw the effects of Bane's "liberation" and it depressed and infuriated her all at once. Homes and businesses had been looted, trash littered the streets, and the good people of Gotham were in hiding. Little did Lena know, it was about to get much worse.

The trip took her less time than she expected and as she pushed through the glass door the little bell tinkled overhead and Lena came face to face with a double barreled shotgun.

"Jesus Mr. Lee put that thing away it's me Lena." She said hurriedly.

"Oh Lena I'm so sorry I just can't take any chances now a days." He stated apologetically as he lowered his weapon.

Lena did know Mr. Lee had his wife, three boys, and a little girl in the apartment above the store.

"What can I do for you?" He asked easily transitioning back into store owner mode.

"Mrs. Scottsdale needs some more tea so I've taken on the mission myself." Lena joked.

"Oh I have some in back. Watch the shop for me while I go get it and it's yours." Mr. Lee replied.

Lena nodded her assent and he headed to the stockroom. She glanced around the store before turning to look at the television mounted behind the counter. There on the screen stood Bane himself standing tall and proud.

Lena noted that she could see the rip in his jacket lapel and she smirked to herself. The smirk however died in an instant when she realized where Bane was standing.

"We take Gotham from the corrupt! The rich! The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity. And we give it to you, the people. Gotham is yours! None shall interfere, do as you please." He said in his metallic croon still playing the heroic liberator of Gotham.

Lena wasn't buying it though and her brows furrowed deeper as he continued. Screams came from the TV as one of the Batman's tanks took aim at the front of the prison and fired. Bane's men entered the prison with massive duffle bags and after some time had passed Lena saw a sight that chilled her blood.

Out of the smoke came the prisoners of Blackgate armed with various weapons pumping them in the air.

"Step forward, those who would serve. For an army will be raised. The powerful will be ripped from their decadent nests." Bane yelled triumphantly.

Lena pounded her fists on the checkout counter in rage. "Yeah an army will be raised for you, you bastard!" She shouted in frustration.

Mr. Lee came running from the back. "What's going on Lena?" He asked with a look of concern on his face.

"Lock up Mr. Lee and keep Mi Sun and the children off the streets. Bane just released the Blackgate prisoners."

Mr. Lee had the gravest look Lena had ever seen him wear and she completely understood.

"Lock the doors and barricade them after I leave and keep the kids away from the windows." She said in a serious tone.

Mr. Lee nodded and handed Lena the box of tea. She tucked the box into her coat pocket and squeezed his shoulder in support and headed for the door. Once on the sidewalk Lena heard the satisfying sound of the three inch deadbolt sliding into place.

She took off at a sprint heading back to her building as quickly as she could. Lena got back home in record time but she was exhausted. She couldn't rest thought she still had work to do. She had picked this building to live in for several reasons. There weren't any apartments on the first floor so the builders hadn't put windows in. The front and back doors were heavy metal security style and the fire escape had a retractable bottom ladder to keep buglers from easily accessing the upper floors.

The plain red brick fronting wasn't the prettiest thing to look at but the place was built like a fortress which is why the tenants consisted of single moms with young children and old people like Mr. and Mrs. Scottsdale. As Lena entered the building she headed down the basement stairs to lock up the service lift she used to move her bike in an out of the building.

After that she headed up to her floor on the tenth story she paused at the top of the stairs, she hadn't realized how tired she was. The events of the day crashed down on her and part of her wanted to sit down and not get back up but then a door down the hall opened and Lena got her emotions under control.

Mrs. S popped her head out and looked down the hall to where Lena stood. Lena grabbed the tea from her pocket and held it up so Mrs. Scottsdale could see it. She gave a big smile when she saw the box and Lena knew at that moment she had a job to do.

As she headed toward what was no doubt going to be the best dinner she'd had in weeks she resolved herself to keep fighting no matter the cost. Because someone had to keep the good people of Gotham safe, with the Batman gone who knows where, she would try her best.

"Someone needs to expose Bane's Hypocrisy might as well be me." She muttered as she entered the warm and inviting apartment.

**I know there wasn't much Bane in this chapter but it was already pretty long so I promise there will be more of him in the next one which I hope to have out in a few days. Thanks for reading. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: Hi folks glad to have you back. This was a fun but tricky chapter to write so I hope you enjoy it. As always I don't own anything from The Dark Knight Rises. Thanks to atiketook and Sera22 for the reviews. Any advice for improvements are welcomed ****. **

The frigid air prickled on the exposed skin Bane's hands, neck, and head as he roamed the streets of Gotham on his motorcycle. He had felt the fire rising today as he released the scum of Blackgate back onto the filth ridden streets.

Satisfied with the results of the day he pulled to the front of a skyscraping upscale residential building. Several of his men milled around outside the building smoking cigarettes. Once they noticed Bane's presence they snapped to attention

"Like they should have been the whole time," he thought to himself but because of his excellent mood he said nothing as he passed.

He strode into the ultra-modern lobby and saw Barsad by the security desk. He approached the man to receive a statue update of the city. At the start of the takeover Bane had dispersed men around the city to gather intel about possible rebellions as well as the general feelings of the people.

Barsad was just finishing his report when Bane heard the rumble of motorcycle engines outside. He turned to see two of the men he'd sent out that morning to bring back supplies. They shuffled in dejectedly and Bane knew without them saying a word that something had gone wrong.

"Ah Barsad, here are the men with the supplies. We shall all eat well tonight." Bane said coming to stand close to them.

He towered over them looking down in mock confusion "But why do you both look so glum?" He said in a grating tone.

"Si… Sir we were intercepted at the stadium and someone shot at us. It caused the trucks to crash and the crowd of people that were gathered made off with the supplies." One of the men before Bane stuttered.

He no doubt would have continued making excuses but he found it difficult to talk because Bane's massive hand had wrapped around his throat. Bane looked into the second man's eyes as the life in the first man drained way.

He tossed the body away from him like a rag doll and still maintaining eye contact he asked, "I hope you have some better news to tell me or I'm afraid you'll end up in the same condition."

"I do sir, I went up to the spot where the shots came from and I found something." He said quickly as he pulled a slip of paper and several spent shell casings from his pocket.

Bane took the casings and rolled them around in his palm noting they were the same type as were shot at him the day before. He stuck them in his cargo pants pocket and took the slip of paper. Bane's eyes flicked over the words scrawled on the paper and his mask hide a wicked grin but his eye glittered with amusement.

It read: _These men ask for just the same thing, fairness, and fairness only. This, so far as in my power, they, and all others, shall have it. _

"You may go." Bane said to the man as he turned to Barsad. "Follow me friend we have much to discuss."

He and Barsad moved toward the elevators and did not speak again until they were in the confines of John Daggett's penthouse. Daggett had been one of the most repulsive creatures in Gotham. His lust for power and wealth may have put him on top of the social hierarchy in the city but he was at his core spineless and weak. Weakness Bane had been all too happy to snuff out.

Daggett's greed had of course had not stopped at his penthouse. He had filled it with varying styles of expensive art, books, and technology regardless of actual taste. Bane had emptied the place of almost all the "art" except for several pieces. He could care less about the technology but the books had been a lucky surprise.

He and Barsad moved into the large library and sat down in one of the many seating areas. "I have a task for you. As you are aware there is a rouge shooter running around Gotham and I am quite interested in meeting this fellow."

Barsad nodded in understanding and Bane continued. "In a few days we will set a clever trap and see if we can cage the bird before he flies again. Then I can tear each of his feathers out and see what makes him tick."

Barsad stood and left the apartment and Bane sat contemplating the messages left by the shooter. Since he had started the fires burning in Gotham he'd been busy and would be busier still in the coming days recruiting Blackgate inmates for his army. The shooter was an interesting distraction but a distraction none the less and he needed it dealt with soon.

He thought about the T.S. Elliot quote left for him a day ago and came to the conclusion that because Daggett's library did not contain a copy of the poem he'd have to go down to the grand public library tomorrow and find one.

* * *

The light filtering into the apartment worked to force Lena's eyes open. She groaned pulling the comforter over her head. She was cozy and warm in bed and she still felt stuffed from the feast she had enjoyed at the Scottesdale's. Her face grew warm and she knew she was fighting a losing battle she could never sleep with her head under the covers so she tossed the blanket off and hopped out of bed.

She gingerly made her way across the cold floor to the kitchen where for the second day in a row she was able to read the paper and enjoy some coffee. Lena had made the front page again for her antics at the stadium and she was sure if Bane hadn't already he would shut down the newspaper soon because it wasn't shining a very good light on him.

Against her better judgment she decided to take a stroll around the area and see what kind of damage the prisoners had done. In addition to the two knives and handgun Lena carried yesterday she strapped on a secondary gun to her ankle and put a set of brass knuckles in her left jacket pocket.

"Rapists and murders roaming free better to overkill than to be killed," Lena quipped as she exited her apartment.

Word had spread through the building that the streets were more dangerous now than ever before. Lena moved down the hall to the roof access stairs and ascended the short distance to the open air of the morning. She took stock of the streets bellow and found them still empty because of the early hour. Her block consisted of building constructed closely together and several of the rooftops had precarious placed steel beams bridging the gap between buildings. When she came across a bridge she crossed it and when there wasn't one she leapt the gap with varying degrees of success on the landings.

When she reached the end of the block she looked up and down one of Gotham's larger streets. It would take her north and it also looked clear. Lena scampered down the fire escape and headed up the road hands in pockets. Lena always preferred to keep the high ground as much as possible but she wasn't the Batman so she had to settle for ground transport even though it made her nervous.

As she plodded along she saw that more and more buildings had been ransacked especially the upscale apartment buildings. Lena had gone four blocks north when she heard noises up ahead. She looked up and saw a mob of people headed her way. Lena watched as they stopped at various residences and started to pull people from their homes.

She watched as a doorman drug an elderly woman in a large fur coat into the street. It would have been funny in a pathetic sort of way if it hadn't been so tragic.

"Well it looks like a bad time to be on the streets after all." Lena thought as she looked around for cover.

She blew out a sigh of relief when she saw to her left that she'd come upon a sanctuary that wouldn't likely merit the attention mob ahead. Lena moved quickly up the stairs and opened the large wooden door and ducked in shutting it softly behind her. The light was dim but the lager windows of the building let in enough illumination that it was easy to see her surroundings.

Lena took in the old air and while most would find it stuffy she felt right at home. She moved down the center isle and walked up two short steps. Lena placed her hands on the familiar worn wood of the main circulations desk of the Gotham public library. While some people found solace in church, Lena had always felt the safest tucked away amongst the thousands of book housed here.

She stood contemplating what book she should use to pass the time while the mob outside moved on. The events of the morning fresh in her mind she headed off towards her destination. Lena slowly climbed the sweeping staircase to the second floor that held the classical fiction. Her fingers glided over the top of the books until she found the one she was looking for and pulled it from the shelf. She found a comfortable winged back armchair and began to read.

* * *

Bane had been pleased to see that with the smallest push in the right direction the people of Gotham with the help of the inmates had begun to roust the rich from their gilded homes. As he made his way through the streets he felt the fire rising higher still.

Bane's exultation at the destruction of Gotham being so close was almost palpable but he knew there was still much suffering the city would have to endure before it would be allowed to burn. He'd given orders to Barsad for the day and had made his way to the library. Bane walked toward the building and took in the neoclassical style of the structure. While he'd never been overly fond of extravagance, he did appreciate the tone of respect the building of knowledge gave off. It was a beacon of intelligence in the languishing city.

He entered through the large wooden doors and was treated to the peace and quiet of the empty building. Bane moved through the different sections of books until he found the poetry area. He then located the specific book of poems written by T.S. Elliot that he'd come for and slide it from the shelf. His own mechanical hiss of breath was the only sound he heard in the silent library as he made his way back to the door to leave.

He was about to exit the building when the thought of another book come into his mind and on a whim he decided to seek it out. His search took him up the grand staircase and into the classical fiction section. His fingers played along the spines of the old books as he moved down the aisle.

When he reached his destination his fingers landed on empty air and he looked down to see that the book was missing. He looked down and saw that there weren't any other copies of the book he'd come looking for so he turned to go. Before he could take a single step the faintest whisper of a sound hit his ears, the feather light sound of a book page being turned. The large man turned toward the sound and moved silently in that direction.

* * *

Lena had the bad habit of becoming engrossed in the activities she undertook wither it was listening to music or reading a good book. Her fingers fidgeted with the dog-eared pages of Charles Dickens's _A Tale of Two Cities _as she contemplated the uncanny similarities between the events in the book and current events in the city.

Lena heard the groan of the chair across from her and she froze behind her book. She slowly peeked over the top of the book and her blood ran cold and hot all at once. There across from her sat Gotham's reckoning, the man she'd shot at just two days ago.

* * *

Bane saw a girl siting in a wing-backed arm chair reading the book he'd been looking for. He sat down across from her and he saw her tense as she realized he was in front of her. She lowered the book and he examined her features carefully. She had a relatively forgettable face nothing really stood out apart from her light brown eyes, small nose, and scar that ran through her left eye brow.

Her hair was a basic brown color that framed her face while the rest was tied back. Bane had almost written her off a just another Gothamite when her eyes caught his attention. They were hardened and they did not break contact with his like so many others in Gotham did.

"Interesting choice in reading materials you have." Bane stated continuing to hold eye contact.

"It seemed to fit the current mood of the day." She replied quietly.

Bane laughed at the statement and replied, "Yes it does, that's why I'd thought to stop by and pick it up but instead I find it already taken."

He watched as the girl slowly closed it and held it out to him "Well then you'd better take it maybe you can learn something from it," she said just as quietly as before. Bane was amazed that this girl spoke to him more bravely than most of his own men would.

He didn't move to take the book instead he questioned, "What is your name little one?"

She paused for a moment and replied, "Evelyn."

* * *

The lie came easy to Lena and she stayed calm as Bane assessed her. Nothing in her expression gave away the lie but his instincts told him she wasn't being honest and he trusted his instincts above all things, they'd kept him alive a long time.

"Perhaps I could learn more from you little one, than from that book," He said with a hard glint in his eyes.

Lena wasn't sure what it was about that look but it made her heart stop. She imagined that she had just felt the same feelings an antelope has before the lion sinks its teeth in. Before she'd even made up her mind to do it something snapped in her.

Lena threw the book into Bane's face and kicked off of the small coffee table between her and him. The chair toppled backward and she rolled out of it somehow managing to stay on her feet and sprinted to the back stairs. She had no idea if he was following her or not but she didn't slow down.

Once she pushed her way out of the fire escape door she ran down the alleyway across the road into another. The farther away from the library she got the calmer she felt. She slowed her running to catch her breath and get a better hold on her surrounds. She was in yet another ally resting against the side of a building when she looked towards the opposing wall.

She let lose one of the strongest burst of laughter she'd had since the city was taken. There drawn in white spray paint was the image of Bane but he had been made up to look like Queen Elizabeth II curly hair, crown and all. Above the picture was written _Keep Calm_ and bellow was _And Carry On_.

Lena slide down the wall with her feet kicked out in front of her tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks. She shouted to no one in particular. "God save the Queen!"

* * *

Bane caught the book as the girl threw it in his face to distract him. He was impressed how she pushed back and out of the chair rolling to her feet and sprinting towards the back of the library. He heard the sound of the stairwell access door and he smiled behind the mask.

"fly little bird, fly fast," he said as he stood to leave the library. "There seems to be yet another interesting person in this city, perhaps my time spent here won't be as mind numbing as I'd feared." He thought to himself.

**The quote I used in this chapter was from Abraham Lincoln. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up I've got to work on the plot direction a little bit but I'll get it out as fast as possible. Thanks for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Sorry for the long wait finishing up this semester has been rough but it's finally over for the summer so I hope to post more regularly. As always I own nothing and I'm not making any money. **

Lena was going crazy. She'd spent the previous day pacing her apartment after her narrow escape from Bane determined to keep a low profile. She had cleaned and re-cleaned her firearms in an attempt to calm her nerves but to no avail.

Lena tossed and turned most of the night and woke the next morning feeling drained. After her regular breakfast of pop tarts and coffee she ambled up to the roof pushing through the access door she stepped out into the cold morning air. As she scanned the grey horizon of the now quiet city she thought of all the times she'd gazed at the Gotham skyline growing up.

Lena had lived in a small broken down two story row house in the nicer part of the Narrows, not that that was saying much. As a child she had always been climbing on everything. When she was five years old Lena clambered onto the roof to watch a meteor shower almost giving her dad a heart attack.

"You yelled at me so loud that night," she thought to herself as a sad smile played across her face, "But even though you didn't like it you never tried to keep me down."

Lena looked at her hands, rough and scared but still soft in a way, and rubbed them together completely lost in memories. The creaking of the heavy roof access door didn't pull her from her thoughts nor did the soft shuffling footsteps. Lena didn't come back to reality until a large hand clasped her shoulder causing her to jump slightly and let out a small yelp. She looked up into the kind eyes of Mr. Henry Scottsdale and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lena my girl I've been looking all over for you." He stated gravely. Mr. Scottsdale leaned heavily on a polished mahogany cane and in his other hand he held a newspaper.

"Why so serious Mr. S?" Lena questioned, her face falling as she remembered the infamous figure she'd unintentionally quoted.

"Undoubtedly serious." He mumbled gruffly as he held out the paper for Lena, "You should see this."

She took it and scanned the front page. **The Batman Will Hang **was splashed across the page with a large picture of Bane holding what looked to be the shattered mask of Batman. The article that followed read along the lines of the Batman would be hung tomorrow for his crimes against Gotham.

"What does it say I didn't have my reading glasses on me?" Mr. Scottsdale asked.

"Oh you know, blah blah the batman let the people of Gotham suffer under the finical elite. More of his esoteric bullshh…crap" Lena said curbing the profanity at the last second.

"Bullshh crap indeed" Mr. S replied with the hint of a smile. "Be careful Lena, that world out there has only gotten more dangerous with the actions of this terrorist and his men. Eleanor worries about you it would break her heart if anything happened to you, mine too."

"I know." Lena said sheepishly.

Before either one could say anything else they heard a bone chilling scream. She and Mr. S both froze while another scream split the air. Lena moved to seek out the person in trouble but was stopped by Mr. Scottsdale grabbing her wrist.

"Take this." He said severely as he pushed a small revolver into her hand.

Lena looked up in surprise but she tightened her grip on the pistol and gave him a small nod. She took off running across the roof tops toward the sound of the screaming jumping the gaps in between the buildings she traveled over with adrenaline pumping through her system.

When she ran out of roof top she hustled down the fire escape and weaved her way through the alleys getting closer and closer until she rounded a corner and slid to a stop. About 25 yards down where two alleys crossed three men had a young woman pinned down. She whimpered and pleaded with the men as they laughed and jeered at her.

Lena saw red and her blood went hot. She almost lost it but then she took a deep breath and regained control. "Hey" Lena shouted at the men in the most intimidating voice she could manage.

They all looked around in surprise but when they saw Lena they began laughing again. She leveled the revolver at the group which caused them to laugh even harder. The largest man of the group took a step toward her he had a shaved head, prison tats, and Lena could see the remnants of an orange jumpsuit under the layers of his clothes.

"Sweetheart you come to join the party?" he said as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

He started walking down the alley toward her when she yelled

"Nope I just came for the girl, let her go and nobody has to get hurt." This got another round of laughter from the men.

"Baby, baby, baby what the hell do you think you're gonna do with that little pea shooter of a gun? I've got something way bigger for you to play" he was cut off by the sound of a gunshot.

The thug fell to the ground with a small hole in his forehead just left of center and the handgun he had been pulling from behind his back clattered to the ground. The other two men shared a moment of surprised immobility and then they scrambled away like cockroaches after the lights come on. Lena jogged up to the teenage girl still lying on the grimy asphalt.

"You alright?" She asked noting the girl's torn shirt, bruised cheek, and split lip.

"Yeah I'm alright…how did you learn to do that?" she said in a shaky voice.

"Learn what?" Lena asked.

"How to shoot someone from so far way I thought that shit only happened on T.V." her voice seemed to be regaining its strength.

"Practice," Lena said bluntly, "You need to get somewhere safe and stay there."

"Yeah I know I had essential supplies to get," she replied as she dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "When they say these things will kill you I didn't think this is what they had in mind," the girl said sarcastically.

"Probably not," Lena agreed with a dry laugh. She took off her zippered hoodie and handed it to the young girl. She took it, got to her feet, and pulled it on zipping it all the way up to her neck. Lena turned to head back to her apartment building.

"Wait, I don't even know your name." the girl called after her.

"And I don't know yours, maybe that's for the best." Lena called over her shoulder.

She retraced her steps and got up on the roof tops as soon as she could. When she finally got back to her building Mr. Scottsdale dragged her into a bear hug.

"Lena girl you gave me a scare, when I heard the gunshot I thought the worst."

"Sorry to worry you Mr. S, but thanks for this, it saved me," Lena stated handing the pistol back to him grip first.

He took the gun from her and tucked it in his pants pocket. "What happened out there?" he questioned.

"I had to put down a very bad man before he put me down." Lena replied emotionlessly.

"Are you going to be ok?" Lena paused before answering and let out a tired sigh.

"Yeah I'll be ok." She turned and headed down to her apartment.

When she entered and locked her door she went straight for the bathroom. Lena filled the tub and added ample amount of bubbles. She didn't regret what she had done that day if she hadn't acted he would have tried to kill her and probably the young girl too. Even though she didn't regret her actions she'd killed someone that day and it wasn't something to take lightly. Lena needed to decompress and reflect on the grave choice she'd been forced to make.

She lowered herself into the tub letting out a groan that seemed to carry the weight of the world. Lena cupped her hands and splashed water onto her face and ran her hands through her thick brown hair. She slowly slid her way deeper and deeper into the water until only her eyes and up were uncovered.

"So much for keeping a low profile," she thought fleetingly before she slipped completely under.

* * *

Bane once again sat at the mayor's large oak desk in city hall. It amused him that he and his men had shut the city down and now he was probably the only person left with a "desk job". It was getting late, the sun had started its downward descent and he was reading over files waiting for Barsad to bring in the daily reports form his men in the field. A moment later there was a light knocking at the door.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Bane thought. "Enter," he said with the hiss of the mask sounding particularly load in the still office.

"Sir I've got the status reports," Barsad said in his oddly soft yet strong voice.

"Excellent and how is the liberated city fairing today my friend?" Bane question in a wickedly cheerful manner.

"Our men were in a few skirmishes today, some people are trying to organize a resistance movement but nothing very effective yet. Recruitment of the Blackgate prisoners has been high since most of them don't know what to do without the structure of the prison they once had and they'd like to eat of course."

"Of course," Bane admonished.

Barsad continued, "I've gathered as much information on the resistance members as possible, family, and friends in case they become more of a problem."

"What of the sensational news headline today?" Bane asked as he steepled his fingers.

"People are defiantly talking, we will need as many armed recruits as possible for crowd control just in case people get sentimental."

"Indeed we will, if there is nothing else you are dismissed," Bane stated.

Barsad turned to go but stopped when he'd realized he'd forgotten something.

"Sir there was one other thing, two new recruits came in with quite a story. They said that they'd been having some fun with a girl in an alleyway when a woman came out of nowhere and shot their friend in the head almost exactly dead center."

Bane had been skimming through the reports and said, "That doesn't sound very unusual."

"The woman made the shot with a small caliber pistol from roughly 25 yards," Barsad said with a smirk knowing this would get his boss's attention.

Bane looked up from his files with raised eyebrows.

"Impressive, although I suppose everyone is entitled to a lucky shot every now and then." Bane commented.

"We never had a need for luck," Barsad replied with the ghost of a smile.

"Yes, we never did have much need for luck to be sure. Make sure you go over the preparations for hanging tomorrow everything must go smoothly."

"Yes sir," Barsad said as he exited the office closing the door with a soft click.

* * *

Lena spent the night being haunted by the ghosts of her past needless to say it was a restless night. She'd had a reoccurring dream for many years that always went the same way.

She was 17 again laying on her living room couch with her headphones blasting music and her toes tapping to the beat. She feels a thud from upstairs and it pulls her out of her music coma. Lena pulls her headphones off and stands up. The house has a calm quiet feeling to it but as Lena makes her way to the stairs it starts to feel darker, colder, like the air is pressing in on her.

She slowly ascends the stairs with the air feeling thick enough to cut. When she reaches the top the hallway looks impossible long and menacingly dark. Lena makes her way towards the door at the end of the hall her body completely tense and her throat so tight it is hard to breathe. She finally makes it to the door and Lena grasps the crystal door handle and starts to open the door.

Just as she does there is a blinding light spilling out from the room and a hellish roar deafens her ears. Lena shot up in bed gasping for air her body slick with sweat, shivering from the cold.

"I can't breathe, I can't breathe." She thought frantically.

A moment passed and she began to regain her senses. "Deep breathes, deep deep breathes," she repeated to herself until she finally gained control again.

The adrenaline had finally emptied from her system leaving her shaking slightly as she ran her hands through her hair. Lena got out of bed and pulled on thick pants, a coat, and a warm hat making her way to her fire escape. She scurried up the metal stairs and sat on the ledge with her legs dangling into space and her eyes scanning the night sky. She could actually see some stars with so many lights turned off now a days.

"I wonder if those lights will ever come back on." Lena said in a small almost childlike voice.

Lena heard a low chirruping behind her and she turned to look seeing the pair of peregrine falcons perched atop one of the old chimneys. Evelyn, the name she'd given to the female and the name she'd borrowed during her exchange with Bane, was still sound asleep with her head tucked into her shoulder feathers. Freddie was next to her and he had one curious eye opened looking in Lena's direction.

"Sorry bud just cuz I can't sleep doesn't mean I should be bothering you," she apologized softly.

Freddie replied with a quite squawk and tucked his head back. Lena took that as his forgiveness quietly stepping back onto the fire escape and headed back down to her apartment thinking about how much she'd rather have the falcon's dreams instead of her own.

It was a rough morning and an early morning, so early. Lena dragged herself into the bathroom rubbing at her eyes while she stood in front of her sink.

"OH GOOD LORD!" she yelled when she finally got her eyes open and saw her hair.

It was sticking up in ways Lena didn't even know were possible. She turned the shower water on and cold water did double duty in taming her wild hair and waking her up. Lena shook her head much like a golden retriever would, flinging water everywhere. She whipped her hair back and wobbled a little bit.

"Whoa head rush." Lena said to herself with a goofy giggle.

She brushed and pinned her hair back and headed out into the kitchen. Poking her head into her pantry she grabbed the pop-tart box and found it depressingly empty.

"This is not shaping up to be a good day," Lena said with a frown.

She resigned herself to stale cheerios and sat down with a Gotham city map. The newspaper article the day before had said that the Batman would be publically hanged in front of the Gotham Times newspaper building. The choice of location confused Lena but she figured it would somehow play into Bane's theatrical streak.

She mapped out all the possible ins and outs of the area figuring out which building top she'd perch on. Lena loaded up her gear and pulled a warm coat, her ski mask/ hat, and fingerless gloves on. She made it down to the basement without running into either of the Scottsdale's thankfully, she really didn't feel up to a lecture about the dangers outside and she didn't want them to worry.

After Lena used the lift to get her motorcycle to street level she paused for a minute just enjoying the feel of the bike beneath her. It was an older triumph scrambler and it was a bike Steve McQueen would be proud of. Lena gripped the handle bars and kicked the engine to life. She made her way to the Gotham Times building which was located in the center of the city.

Lena avoided rubble and people alike as she weaved through the city streets. It was unnerving her how many people were out and appeared to be headed to the same place she was. Lena had to park her motorcycle five blocks away in a deserted alley to avoid notice and covered it with debris. It was much farther than she was comfortable with and it would be hard to get back to it if anything went wrong.

As Lena walked calmly to her chosen vantage point, with her backpack tapping out a rhythm, something nagged at the back of her mind. She still couldn't shake the feeling as she entered the building and started the long trek up fifteen flights of stairs. Once she was out in the open air of the roof she began to calm down a bit, gaining higher ground had always had that effect on her. She sat cross legged on the roof top and pulled out her riffle parts and assembled her weapon.

When Lena finished that she pulled out her length of ribbon and let the silky fabric flow through her fingers. Once she'd fastened it to the railing of the roof Lena took a closer look at the plaza beneath her. There was a large open area in front of the newspaper building which used to be home to vendors, performers, and business people on their lunch breaks.

At the center of the plaza used to stand a statue of the first owner and editor of the Gotham Times but it had been torn down and in its place there was a large gallows. Lena saw that instead of one rope center stage for the Batman there were eight ropes spread out along the sturdy beam.

"What are you up to?" Lena muttered as the plaza began to fill with curious spectators.

Shortly after truckloads of armed men entered the plaza pushing people back away from the platform. She didn't have long to wait as Bane pulled in on his motor cycle flanked by more armed men. He took the stage with his megaphone and a hush settled over the crowd.

"Good day to you people of Gotham. Today I am here to right a terrible wrong," he said in a mechanical lilt.

A man was brought up on stage, short, pudgy, and balding he was about as far from Batman as a person could be

"This man before you is named Charles Harris, and while he is not the Batman I can assure you he has committed inexcusable crimes against you."

Lena knew the name "Charming Charlie" Harris was the editor and chief of the Gotham times. He wrote witty and topical editorial and had been an icon in Gotham for as long as she could remember. Lena came to the realization that Charlie must be responsible for the New Gotham Times as Bane continued his speech.

"For years this man stood by and let the rich color the news for their own ends. He force fed you lies and false hope of success. Even now as I have given you back your city he toiles to impose on you the same lies form the fallen regime that the people of Gotham have gladly thrown off. He wishes to see you all burdened with the yoke of inequality once again. I ask you will you allow it?!" Bane shouts the last sentence and Lena was amazed that this terrorist had somehow managed to whip the crowd into a blood thirsty frenzy.

The crowd jeered and booed at Charlie as he tried in vain to defend himself. Seven more men are marched up onto the platform.

Bane continued his rant, "These men write lies saying I was going to execute the Batman today I assure you I am not. The Batman has fled this city after the light of truth was shown on him and the people of this city found him wanting. What I offer you today are these liars, and defilers of the truth. What will be there punishment?!" He shouted again.

The energy coming of the crowd was incredible and terrifying. They chanted **Death** over and over again until Bane finally spoke again.

"The people of Gotham have spoken and I will carry out their will." Lena pulled her mask into place and brought her gun up into position.

Below one of Bane's men approached the lever that controlled the trap door as the eight men were lined up and had the ropes put around their necks. The crowd grew louder in anticipation as Bane's men stepped back and the hangman tightened his grip on the lever. Lena took careful aim with her riffle and not a moment too soon she squeezed the trigger. She heard the blast and felt the recoil of her riffle as the bullet speed toward its target.

Lena noted a sudden breeze pick up out of the west then she heard the sound of another high powered rifle being fired and she saw the muzzle flash from the building across from her position. She was knocked back by a large caliber rifle round grazing her left arm. Lena laid flat on the roof top stunned for a moment it only lasted a minute but in that short time her mind was working in overdrive. It had been a trap of course it had. Bane had set up a scenario he knew she couldn't resist and she'd fallen for it.

"Stupid Lena stupid," she berated herself.

He had placed a sniper on the roof across from her. He must be a good one because he'd chosen the second best position knowing she would go for the first best vantage point. Lena was more than likely only alive because of the sudden gust of wind throwing of his shot ever so slightly.

She cradled her riffle in her uninjured arm, shrugging her pack on, and rolled to her knees, getting to her feet she ran in a crouch to the far side of the building. Pausing there she closed her eyes for a few seconds and visualized the building were the opposing sniper had fired from. She took a deep breath hoisted the riffle on to the ledge and using all the strength in her good arm fired at the spot where the muzzle flash had come from.

* * *

The boss had come up with an excellent plan. Draw the shooter in with a public event surrounded by optimal snipping positions and wait for him to bite. Barsad knew that Bane would prefer the shooter be taken alive but he had given him orders to take a kill shot if the gunman posed a threat to the completion of their mission. So he had set himself up in the spot that would have been his second choice if he'd needed to snipe into the plaza.

The building he was on was only slightly shorter than the optimal spot east across the plaza. The sun rising over the building he was aiming at would normally be a problem but the haze of the morning didn't limit his visuals much. As Barsad lay prone on the roof's wide ledge he saw the flash of the shot and smiled to himself.

"It was fun playing the game with you friend but your time is up," he whispered to the wind in satisfaction.

The wind must have heard him and decided not to favor him that day because as soon as fired an amazingly strong updraft hit and he was not sure if it had influenced the accuracy of his shot or not. He watched through his scope as the shooter was knocked backwards off the ledge but he couldn't see anything else after that. He radioed the men he had waiting and they entered the building to apprehend the shooter dead or alive. He wondered if his shot had been good and the gunman was dead or if the wind had interfered enough to spare his life.

"If he's alive then he's on the run and the men will get him before he escapes if he's dead," but Barsad didn't get to finish that thought because at that moment he saw another muzzle flash from the building across the plaza and he heard the wiz of a high speed bullet as it flew past his ear and buried itself four inches to the right of his calf.

Barsad rolled off the wide ledge he had been laying on and took cover behind it. Breathing hard he radioed his men and told them to use extreme caution the shooter was still active and to obtain him alive if at all possible. Barsad wanted to meet this man and beat the hell out of him, it was the closest any sniper had ever gotten to actually hitting him and he had no idea if he should be angry or impressed.

* * *

Bane stood before the masses of gathered people and reveled in the fact that he could mold them to his every whim. He had complete control over the thoughtless mob because he knew exactly what emotional buttons to push so that they would react with anger instead of thinking logically. The sweetest part was knowing that after the good people of Gotham went home that night and really thought about what they had done many would feel the pain of guilt and remorse for having these eight men's blood on their hands. He saw the flash of the riffle and the soldier that was about to pull the trapdoor lever fell down dead.

"It was no matter Barsad would take care of the shooter and another one of the Blackgate prisoners would finish the act his fallen comrade could not." He thought.

There was confusion in the crowd, not many had heard the shot over the noise but they had seen the man fall. Bane quickly ordered another man to pull the lever and soon the eight men were swinging freely their time on earth extremely limited.

There was a roar of approve from the crowd but Bane hadn't noticed he had just seen another shot fired from the shooter's roof towards the roof Barsad was positioned on. Bane motioned for a group of his men to follow him as he jumped from the platform landing with a heavy thud and made his way through the crowd toward the eastern building.

* * *

Lena had gotten one shot off and she hoped it had struck home. The pain in her arm had grown excruciating as the initial shock had worn off and she was still bleeding heavily. She managed to get the backpack off and reached in and pulled out her riffle strap. At this point subtlety was by the wayside and she didn't care if people saw her with a riffle strapped to her back she just needed to get away.

With her riffle secured she ditched her backpack and headed for the access door using her right hand to keep pressure on the wound. As she reached for the door handle it burst open causing her to stumble back. A lot of men came out onto the roof and pointed guns at her telling her not to move, she suspected there weren't as many men there as she thought she saw though because the ones she could see where all swirly and their shouting was echoy.

Lena's head swam as Bane's men disarmed her and grabbed her roughly by the arms. This caused white hot pain to shoot up Lena's injured arm and for a moment she saw spots as she teetered on the verge of blacking out. She heard the access door open and the big bad Bane himself stepped out onto the roof followed closely behind by a man with a large sniper rifle slung over his back. He stood in front of her clasping the straps of his bulletproof vest and looked down at her.

"It appears our friend here was trying to leave the celebration early, now we can't have that now can we boys?" Bane said with a tone of mock hurt.

With the last bit of strength Lena had she looked into Bane's eyes and lunged at him.

* * *

When Bane had looked down into his eyes he'd almost had a spark of recognition.

"Why do those eyes look familiar?" He wondered to himself but then the shooter lunged at him and he chuckled in a menacing way.

"Even in defeat the man has courage, excellent," He though.

Bane drew back his fist and delivered a fast strong hook across the shooter's jaw causing the man to grunt in pain and black out.

"Shall we unmask our would-be hero gentlemen?" Bane asked gaining a laugh from his men as they all nodded agreement.

He grasped the black ski mask and pulled it off but as he did Lena's hair tie came lose and her brown hair spilled out from under the mask. A confused silence fell over the group of men as Bane reached down and roughly grabbed Lena's chin and tilted her head up. The moment he saw her face he realized why the eyes had seemed so familiar to him.

"He's a she?" one of his men asked dumbfounded by the revelation.

Bane took only a moment to come to a decision. He motioned for his men to loosen their grip on the girl and he scooped her up in his muscular grasp.

"I will be taking her back to the penthouse. When she wakes up we will see if this little bird will sing us an interesting story," Bane stated as his men moved to let him pass.

Bane carried Lena as if she weighted nothing to the door and into the darkness of the building, much like the darkness that had swallowed Lena up only a few moments before.

**Well there it is this one was pretty action packed and I hope you enjoyed it.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: Here's the next one, thanks to all the people who wrote reviews. As always I don't own anything dark knight or DC related.**

* * *

It was the dream again the thud, the stairs, the hallway, the door, and the hellish roar with the blinding light. Lena shot up in bed covered in a cold sweat just like she always did. Unlike the past times she'd been ripped out of the dream as she went to prop herself up a searing pain shot through her left arm and it collapsed under her weight causing her to gracelessly tumble from the bed. To add insult to injury or rather injury to injury Lena landed on her wounded arm grunting in pain as the bed sheet fluttered down to cover her. The first thing that registered to Lena was the sheet brushing against her cheek as she lied in a heap on the ground.

"This feels expensive…too expensive," Lena pondered for a moment until everything came crashing back.

She remembered the roof, the firefight, Bane's men, and then the Big Bad himself. As she thought of him and the pain in her arm faded to a throbbing ache the pain in her face came to the for front of her consciousness. "Holy Fuck my face hurts!" Lena's mind screamed. She slowly rolled over pressing her back into the cold hard floor. She probed her mouth using her tongue and found three loose molars as she tried to convince herself that getting up was a good idea.

Lena pulled the silk bed sheet off and rolled to her right and using the bed as support dragged herself to a standing position and surveyed the room. It was large, probably close to the size of her entire apartment, and it had an ultra-modern motif. Lena noted that there were three doors in the bedroom as she started to hobble to the closest one. She opened the door and her extremely sore jaw dropped. Lena was gazing at one of the most beautiful sights she'd ever seen. It was an enormous bathroom straight out of a designer magazine with a huge soaker tub in the middle of the room and a large walk in shower off to one side. Lena was completely enthralled with the sparkling glass and tile until she turned and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. If she'd thought her hair had been scary the other day it was on a whole new level now and that was nothing compared to her face.

"I look like a purple chipmunk," Lena thought despondently as she poked lightly at the right side of her face, "And why do things always hurt more when you look at them?"

She moved as quickly as she could pulling the plunger on the sink and turning on the cold faucet, filling the basin. After removing her hair pins and tie she dunked face first into the frigid water. The freezing water took her breath away but it also soothed her battered face and helped her to shake off the last bit of mental haze. The sink was deep enough she was able completely submerge her head and rinse off the grim of the day or days Lena wasn't sure how much time had passed. She pulled her head up unstopping the sink and ringing her hair out while the sink drained. Using her fingers to comb and smooth her hair back, which was a bitch since moving her left arm even slightly was agonizing, into its usual confines she looked into the mirror again reassessing her appearance.

"Better but these clothes have got to go," she concluded taking in the dirt and blood stained shirt.

Lena looked down at her left arm and saw that the long sleeved thermal she'd been wearing had been ripped away at the shoulder and her wound was covered by thick gaze. Lifting up the edge of the wrapping allowed a peak at the gunshot injury. It was red and angry looking but the stitching appeared small and tight with almost a professional feel to it.

She pushed away from the sink with her good arm and shuffled back into the bedroom. Lena was exhausted, probably from the blood loss, but she knew she needed to keep moving. Trying the next closest door led her into a walk in closet filled with a multitude of male clothing. Lena used a combination of her right arm and teeth to remove her old shirt.

"Not quite sure how I managed that one," she thought exhaustedly as she threw the loathsome article to the ground.

Lena grabbed the first tee shirt she found and with much cursing and struggling was able to pull it into place. She looked down at the block letters spread across her chest that read **Harvard**,

"I feel smarter already," Lena mumbled dryly to herself as she surveyed the closet looking for shoes and a jacket but finding neither.

Blowing out a heavy sigh she moved back into the bedroom and headed to the last door. The door opened soundlessly and she poked her head out and slowly looked around taking in a wide hallway. She stepped out onto the dark wood flooring channeling her inner ninja as she moved in what she hoped was the direction of the exit. Lena creped along like she was in a Scooby Doo cartoon until she came into a large open space that must have been the living room but could have served as a practice field for the Gotham Rouges. She was about to scope the place out more but then she spotted what looked like the front door. A satisfied smile played at her lips as she started to tip toe in that direction until she heard a cold hiss of air.

* * *

Bane had brought the girl from the rooftop to Daggett's pretentious penthouse. He had personally cleaned and sewn her wound and laid her down to recover. Her being unconscious had been advantageous to him because it gave him time to think about the events of the past few days. As he washed her blood from his hands he contemplated the fact that the shooter and the girl he'd met in the library were one and the same. Bane moved through the apartment to the living room where Barsad sat with his hands on his knees waiting for his return.

"How is she?" Barsad asked.

"I think she'll live she seems to have a lot of tenacity," Bane replied thoughtfully.

"Things certainly took an interesting turn." Barsad commented. Bane nodded agreement as he sat down on the large sectional and spread his long arms out along the back of the sofa.

"What are we to think about the little bird we've caught my friend?" Bane questioned in his raspy tone.

"I think she's one hell of a mystery. She has immense skill the shots she made were incredibly difficult. She got within inches of me just by going off my muzzle flash and your lapel is further proof of her talent." Barsad stated reluctantly impressed.

"This is all very true my friend but while she chose to kill the hangman on the platform and I suspect the man in the alley that you told me about she decided to assault my coat instead of my person." Bane pondered.

"Maybe she felt like she had no choice with the others but she was sending a message to you. After all no one will kill you with the triggerman out there waiting to flip the switch if anyone misbehaves." Barsad inferred.

Bane chuckled contentedly as he thought of their grand plan for Gotham a moment. He and Barsad sat for a few hours discussing the happenings of the city, even reminiscing a little. Barsad had just stood up to leave when they heard a thud coming form the direction of the bedrooms. Barsad moved to investigate the sound.

"Wait my friend let's see what happens," Bane ordered.

His second in command nodded and took his seat as they waited. It was just under ten minutes after they heard the thud that Lena emerged into the living room. A smile touched his lips behind the mask as he watched the young woman actually tip toeing toward the front door as if she was a teenager sneaking out of the house. He could tell that she was completely focused on her escape. He let a hissing breath out and the look on her face as she froze at the sound of his mask was comical.

As Bane watched the girl slowly turn toward him he was still surprised that this unsuspecting girl was the one he'd been looking for. She was several inches shorter than he was and she'd managed to wash her hair and change into one of Daggett's shirts. She looked utterly average in every way except for her eyes, those brutally unrelenting eyes. When she'd finally turned to face him her eyes looked surprised but still hardened with determination. The sort of determination a woman would need to lose as much blood as she had, receive the blow to the head he'd given her, and recover enough in just a few hours to attempt an escape.

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit," was the only thing that ran through Lena's mind when she heard the hissing noise.

She turned slowly in place and saw the hulking form of Bane lounging on a large couch his massive arms spread out looking perfectly at ease backlit by what Lena guessed to be a multimillion dollar view of Gotham. His sniper rested in a chair next to him with his hands on his knees. For a moment Lena contemplated bolting for the door but the impulse passed when the logical part of her brain kicked in telling her that even if she made it out of the apartment Bane would have men guarding the building, she'd be lucky if she made the lobby.

"Maintain eye contact maintain control," Lena chanted to herself as she stared down the terrorist.

"You weren't thinking about flying the coop were you little bird?" Bane asked in mock hurt.

"Nah I was just gonna pop out for some fresh air I'll be right back though, I promise," Lena replied with a forced smile.

The sniper let out a bark of laughter as he stood to go and commented, "This one has spirit I'll let you two get better acquainted." Lena's eyes followed her rival sniper as he made his way to the door. She noted the presence of two guards in the hallway when he left through the front door.

"Why don't you take a seat and as my friend suggested we can get acquainted." Bane stated.

"I prefer to stand. Why am I here?" Lena replied bluntly.

"You seem to be laboring under the misconception that was a request little bird, sit before I make you." Bane replied in a cruel tone.

Lena stared at him for a moment and an electric tension passed between them. She didn't want to appear weak but she also remembered the blow he had dealt her on the roof and decided to comply. Lena sat on the edge of the seat the sniper had just vacated her legs tensed ready to jump up and move if she needed to.

"Since you've chosen to be cooperative I will answer your question. You are here because you interest me and because your actions have inspired rebellion around the city. You will remain here as long as I choose. Any other questions Evelyn?"

Lena fidgeted at the false name and it was getting harder to maintain eye contact.

"I'm not all that interesting just your average girl in the big city." She replied dismissively.

"There's no need to be modest my dear you've shown an impressive level of skill with firearms. You've also evaded my men who are all highly trained while leaving behind interesting little taunts for me. I have a feeling you are many things little bird but average is not one of them." Bane stated his unrelenting stare bearing down on her.

Bane stood with surprising speed Lena echoing is action her nerves taut as she waited for his next move. He started moving slowly towards her and in response she took a step back. As Lena moved away from Bane's advance her leg caught the corner of the chair and she started to fall. Her stomach lurched and she closed her eye preparing for the impact that would hurt her already battered body but it never came. She felt a firm grip around her waist and opened her eyes blinking in surprise. Bane pulled her up and steadied her, his hands still in place at her hips.

Lena went ridged at his touch and their close proximity. Her hands were rested on his muscular arms and she was able to see the intricate tubing of the mask that had come to symbolize terror and chaos in New Gotham. Lena wasn't sure if it was the methodical hiss or the unrelenting gaze of his dark eyes but she felt compelled to reach out and touch the mask. She lifted her hand slowly but when she was only inches from touching it there was a knock at the door which is what Lena need to break the trance she'd been in.

She stepped back dropping her eyes to the floor and released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as Bane called out, "Enter." The sniper came back into the penthouse taking in the scene with raised eye brows as if to say I didn't think you'd get that acquainted.

"You're needed at city hall sir." He said curtly.

"Thank you Barsad I'll be right out." Bane replied turning his attention back to Lena. "This apartment is at your disposal, if you try to escape you will fail." He stated and turned abruptly exiting with Barsad. Lena was left standing alone still unsettled by the suddenness of the day's events.

"What the fuck was that about?" she thought bewildered. "He threatens me, then chats with me, stops me from falling, and to top all the weirdness off he holds me. What is his angle?" Lena puzzled as she paced around the spacious living room.

She came to the conclusion that he was just attempting unnerve her so she did her best to put it out of her mind as she started to explore the ridiculously extravagant penthouse. Lena moved toward the wall of glass that entirely took up one wall of the living room and slide open the door leading to the huge balcony. She tentative stepped out onto the cold cement. The dusting snow on the frigid ground bit at Lena's feet as she attempted to walk outside. She stepped back inside closing the door and hurried to the large plush rug in the living room rubbing the warmth back into her feet.

"You may have won this round weather but I'll beat you next time," she declared cursing her lack of footwear.

Lena ambled around the apartment looking for shoes and trying to formulate a plan of escape. She came across a few more bedrooms and two doors that were locked. When Lena had searched the entire penthouse and was unable to find a single pair of shoes her suspicions that Bane was attempting to deter her from escaping were confirmed.

It hadn't taken long to search the large apartment and Lena soon found herself back in the living room pacing the smooth hard wood flooring. She stood looking out at the balcony contemplating her next move. When an obstacle arose Lena relished over coming it and right now she wanted to go outside and take a look around. She scanned the living room again and an idea popped into her mind. Lena walked over to the couch Bane had been sprawled across, trying extremely hard not to think of the titanic man, and picked up one of the accent pillows. Holding it between her knees she pulled the zipper.

Once it was open she dropped it to the floor and stuck her foot into the soft down feathers zipping it tight to leg. After she'd repeated her actions with the other foot she looked at herself.

"Well I look ridiculous," Lena sighed as she stood and took a few tentative steps the down feathers felt surprisingly pleasant.

She took big awkward steps towards the balcony the pillows shifting up and down as she moved. Lena stepped out into the cold air the frigid wind biting into her uncovered arms. She scoped the open area noting a large gas fire pit as she moved towards the balcony railing. As Lena leaned out over the edge of the balcony she took in the expansive city far below. She had always felt that the higher up she went the smaller her problems seemed but even though she was about as high up as she could get in New Gotham the penthouse was a cage not a perch and her problems seemed larger than they had since the bridges were blown. Lena looked down and saw that about twenty feet down there was another balcony.

"That could come in handy," Lena thought as she turned and headed back inside, the gears in her mind grinding away as she went in search of something to eat.

* * *

He walked with Barsad to the elevator contemplating what had just transpired between him and his little captive. He had intended to just unnerve her a bit, see what her reaction would be and he hadn't been disappointed. Her response to his sudden movement had pleased him she had good instincts but then she'd tripped. He wasn't sure why he'd caught her but he had and the interaction had unsettled him. He could still feel her small waist and the ghost of her hands on his arms,

"And she had been reaching out to touch the mask. I wonder what would have happened if Barsad hadn't knocked," Bane pondered until he realized Barsad had been talking to him. "I'm sorry old friend what were you saying?"

"I was saying that Talia is waiting for you at city hall sir. That girl seemed to make an impression on you." Barsad commented with a smirk.

They had reached the lobby and were headed towards the entrance. Bane mentally chastised himself for letting the girl distract him again but at the mention of Talia's name he mind cleared of all thoughts but her.

"Yes, Barsad she is an interesting distraction but a distraction none the less and we must all stay vigilant as the fire rises to cleanse this city." Barsad nodded in agreement as they walked out of the building and across the street to where the motorcycles were parked.

As he mounted the bike he glanced back at the building and for a fleeting moment he thought he saw a figure far up on Daggett's balcony. He shook his head in astonishment chuckling softly as he kicked over the engine reminding himself again that she was a distraction. As he angled the motorcycle onto the road his mind returned to Talia, his Talia and he headed off to be with her.

* * *

**There it is folks hope you enjoyed it as always please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors' Note: First off sorry for the delayed post it's been a very busy summer for me. Also when I started writing this story I didn't have the plot hashed out as well as I should have so it's taking me a lot long to get new posts out than I'd like. Thanks to everyone who posted a review I really appreciate it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Dark Knight series and I'm not profiting from this story in any way. **

* * *

Lena's body was completely drained form the events of the past day. The blood loss and beating she'd received were catching up with her as she collapsed on the posh sofa. A bowl of chicken noodle soup steamed on the glass coffee table, soup being about the only thing Lena would be able to eat until her face had time to return to its normal size.

Lena was wrapped up in the large down comforter she'd taken from the bedroom she had woken up in earlier. It felt cool against her skin as she hunkered down into the plush seat and picked up an absurdly large remote. Lena poked experimentally at the control hoping to turn the tv on but only succeeded in powering up the stereo system. Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" came blasting out of the surround sound as she frantically tried to turn it off.

"Jeez, what kind of weirdo lived here?" Lena criticized as she was finally able to switch off the music and got the tv to turn on.

She flipped to a news channel to make sure she hadn't missed anything while she'd been knocked out. Lena watched the same clips about Gotham that the media had been running since the bridges went down and finding that there were no new developments she quickly flipped to something less depressing.

After what seemed like hundreds of channels she settled on one playing the movie To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything. The quirky comedy was exactly what she needed to relax and take her mind off the problems just outside the penthouse door.

As she sat watching Lena allowed herself to let her guard down and release the massive amount of tension that had been building up since the sniper fiasco. As her eyes began to flutter closed she had fleeting thoughts about what lied ahead for her and what Bane was planning.

* * *

Bane barely noticed the frigid night air as he approached Dagget's apartment high-rise. After his meeting with Talia he felt keen and focused like a blade. He entered the lobby and strode purposefully to the elevators. As he was lifted towards the penthouse Bane replayed the short time he was able to spend with his Talia savoring every moment.

Once he was out of the elevator he nodded to the two guards wordlessly relieving them for the night. Bane pushed open the heavy front door pausing to strip off his body armor and moved through the space silently, intending to go over the city reports in Dagget's study but the sound of the television in the living room caught his attention.

Detouring from his original destination he moved into the living room and what he saw raised his eyebrow and caused a smirk to grace his lips. His little captive was stretched half on half off the sofa completely entangled in a large comforter and on the television were three large men dancing around in extremely flamboyant cocktail dresses.

Bane found the remote and clicked the screen black leaving the expansive living room dark except for the dim moonlight shining through the immense glass wall. The quiet hiss of his mask and her soft breaths were the only sound filling up the large space. Bane pondered how different she looked as she slept.

"She looks innocent when she isn't staring me down with that steal glare," he mused.

As he watched, a large strand of her hair shifted across her face. Bane was gripped with the sudden urge to move the intrusive hair that was interrupting his view. Bane slowly reached out to brush her hair aside but paused inches from her skin realizing how similar his current position was to the moment between himself and Evelyn earlier that day.

He couldn't understand the electric pull he felt around this girl and every time it drew him in it was unsettling. Bane's logical mind finally gained command as he shook out of the trance and dropped his hand. Mentally berating himself for his momentary loss of control Bane stooped to pick her up.

As he scooped her up Bane noted that she was heavier than she appeared and he muttered, "Nothing about you is as it seems."

Bane had reached the bed room he'd placed her in before and was about to lay her down when she stirred in his arms. She turned into his body and her hand curled into his shirt as she mumbled softly,

"You don't have to do this, you don't have to go." Bane had a moment to wonder if she was talking to him but then he heard her softly whisper, "Dad."

He mentally filed away all of her comments and gently laid her down on the large bed. Looking down Bane saw that her small hand was still tangled into his shirt so he lightly grasped her hand and eased it free setting it down.

Bane paused before releasing his grasp on her soft warm hand finding that he didn't mind the brief contact. Even after he'd left and situated himself in Dagget's private study Bane could still feel the ghost of that touch.

* * *

Lena was having the dream again but it wasn't the same. She was laying in her old living room but the décor was that of her penthouse prison all dark woods and sand colored marble. Lena was lounging on the large white sofa and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata flowed around the room unnerving her with its dark but beautiful melody.

She heard the thud above her and she quickly moved to the stairs to escape the uncanny surrounding. The stairs and hallway were the same as always growing darker as she moved toward the last door. Instead of being pulled to the door she felt her body racing there and in the blink of an eye she was in front of it grasping the handle.

Lena tensed as she twisted the door knob anticipating the roar of sound but it never came. All she heard was a mechanical hiss and then the dream shattered around her and she fell into deeper darkness.

* * *

Lena woke with her entire body clenched up, her fingers digging into the bed, and the taste of blood in her mouth. Her whole body felt like it was on fire as she attempted to coaxes her muscles into relaxing. Lena pulled herself into a seated position with her legs dangling over the edge of the bed.

Once her heart stopped feeling as if it would pound out of her chest she shakily got to her feet. Lena was disoriented from her dream and from the fact that she woke up in a room she didn't fall asleep in. As she got to her feet Lena contemplated the strange changes in the dream she'd been having since she was fifteen years old, until this moment it had been unchanging for close to ten years.

Lena made her way into the bathroom taking in her flushed appearance as she stood at the sink and splashed cold water on her face. She rubbed the cool water on the back of her neck in an attempt to quell the heat coming off her body and she used it to slick back some of her hair that had come loss from her ponytail.

After rinsing the blood from her mouth that had been caused by her loose teeth grinding during the dream Lena moved back into the bedroom noting the faint moon light through the window that signified the late hour. She pushed through the bedroom door and out into the hallway. She was enveloped in shadows as she made her way quietly to the living room.

Her body was still unbearably hot so without hesitation Lena opened the balcony door and stepped out into the night. The cold which had been painful earlier was a welcomed relief to her now even on her uncovered feet as she made her way to the railing. Lena stood looking out over the darkened city and the stars above which had been drowned out by light before Bane had taken Gotham.

Thinking of Bane brought so many questions rushing into Lena's head. "What does he have planned for me and my city? Where did he come from and what kind of life molds a man like him?" she pondered as an icy breeze swirled around her.

Lena wasn't sure how long she'd been standing there but she suddenly had the feeling of being watched. She looked around and to her right she saw across an open expanse there was another smaller balcony she hadn't noticed earlier, on that balcony stood Bane leaning on the railing and staring right at her.

Lena heard his strong voice cut easily across the distance, "You should be in bed little one."

She had heard what he said but Lena remained still. Her entire body hurt, she was mentally and physically exhausted, and most of all she was tired of being pushed around by this terrorist.

"Get back to bed that's an order little bird I will not tell you again." Bane shouted and Lena could hear the anger in his voice threatening to boil over.

She knew disobeying his command would probably be detrimental to her already poor health but at the moment she didn't care so Lena did the most rebellious thing she could muster. She turned away from him and went back to looking at the city, ignoring him completely.

* * *

White hot rage pumped through Bane's veins as he watched his captive turn away from him blatantly disregarding his command. Barely containing his fury Bane pushed open the balcony door slamming it closed, surprisingly it remained unbroken, and he moved through the master bedroom.

He continued out into the hallway and through a large set of wooden double doors which he had kept locked since he'd brought the girl into the penthouse. Stalking down the long dark hallway Bane found himself swiftly moving through the living room and out on the balcony. He saw her leaning on the railing looking down at the quiet city her small frame lit by the moonlight. Bane watched as her head tilted listening to his mechanical breaths and then it tilted back continuing to ignore him.

"I'll just have to make it harder for you to ignore me," Bane thought as he lunged forward grabbing a fist full of her tee shirt and ripping her backwards towards the balcony door.

He watched as her small body hit the cement hard and slide a few feet. Bane slowly approached her leaning down and grasping her neck in his large hand loosely, only intending to intimidate. When he'd looked at her he had expected to see fear or anger in her eyes just as he'd seen in the eyes of every person unlucky enough to end up in her position but what he saw perplexed him.

Her features were tranquil and as he watched laughter bubbled up from her. After a few moments of laughter her eyes fluttered closed and Bane became aware of how hot her skin was under his grip. As he realized that his captive had a fever and was probably delusional a twinge of guilt ran through him for letting his anger control his actions.

Bane let out a mechanical sigh releasing the frustration that his captive seemed expertly capable of causing him. He once again picked up the girl walking her back to her bedroom making a mental list of the supplies he'd need to have Barsad collect.

* * *

Lena woke feeling as if her head wasn't attached to her body. "Blah… why does my mouth taste like cotton balls?" Lena complained groggily.

As she rolled over in the plush bed she felt a stabbing pain in her arm and she yelped in surprise. Lena looked down at her arm and saw a large I.V. tapped in place. She trailed the clear tubes up to the I.V. stand and took note of the hung saline bag. Lena also noticed a small glass vile on the bedside table and upon picking it up saw that it was labeled gentamicin.

"Broad spectrum antibiotics, only the best for Bane's house guest I suppose." Lena muttered wondering what hospital he'd stolen the supplies from.

Pulling the needle from her arm she got shakily to her feet and made her way to the bathroom. Lena wasn't sure how long she'd been out which was a condition she was starting to associate with being in Bane's company and she decide she desperately needed a bath. With her muscle still recovering she hobbled around the beautiful room turning on the water and collecting different soaps and salts. Once the tub was full and had a layer of bubbles five inches thick Lena carefully undressed and slipped in to the soothing bath making sure to keep her injured arm dry.

She scrubbed her body quickly knowing that Bane or one of his soldiers could show up at any moment. Lena was finally scoured clean and feeling like a human being again. She climbed out of the cooling water and warped herself in a fluffy robe she'd found in the process of collecting bath supplies. Lena took a moment to examine her face in the mirror and found that the swelling had gone down considerably and the bruise was fading to a yellowish green.

"Must have been out for a few days." She concluded as she made her was to the walk in closet.

Lena pulled out a fresh tee shirt with the words **Daggett Industries **across the chest and a pair of gym shorts. After dressing she moved into the bedroom and unwrapped the cloth covering her gunshot wound and was pleased to see that it was much less red than before. Led by the growling of her stomach Lena made her way into the hallway her bare feet quietly pattering as she went.

She poked her head around the corner and scoped out the living room. Though it lacked the colossal terrorist, her rival sniper was reclined in a chair paging through a magazine. Lena was thrown off momentarily by how normal the guy looked, but recovering quickly she wondered if there was some way to get the drop on him.

As if reading her mind, "You can come on out, you're not very good at sneaking around." Barsad stated a smirk on his lips as he kept flipping through the magazine.

"I'm a sniper not a ninja," Lena retorted as she strode quickly past the living room and into the kitchen refusing to look at him.

She opened the fridge to retrieve the milk and just as she was about to turn around Lena heard a whispered, "I'm both."

She whipped around to find Barsad seated at the breakfast bar, satisfied smirk still in place.

"Show off," Lena grumbled as she started searching the large pantry for any cereal without bran in the name. She stood at the counter with her bowl of Lucky Charms purposefully keeping her distance from the scruffy man.

"How long was I out?" Lena questioned.

"Four days, I'm surprised you're back on your feet so soon." Barsad replied.

"Where'd all the nice medical supplies come from?" Lena asked seeing how much information she could get out of the man.

"Being Gothan's liberator has its perks," he countered evasively.

Lena scoffed softly at this and Barsad gave her a questioning look as he asked, "Do you not believe in Bane's noble mission to free Gotham from corruption?"

"All I know is that tyrants often come in the guise of liberator."

As her comment trailed of there was a thick silent left behind as the two stared each other down. Realizing this particular train of conversation wasn't going anywhere Lena changed the subject by asking, "So are you my babysitter?"

This got a soft chuckle from Barsad, "I am to watch you until Bane returns to make sure you don't get yourself into trouble," he confirmed.

"Does this building have a gym?" Lena continued.

"Yes, but I think your body needs more time to recover," Barsad stated.

"My body has had four days to recover, right now it needs some activity," Lena replied stubbornly.

She could tell by his expressions that he wasn't convinced so she added, "I'll make sure to take it easy and I promise I won't bother you the rest of the day."

After a few seconds of silence he sighed nodding his head in the direction of the front door. Lena moved quickly around the counter and toward the front door before he had a chance to change his mind. She stood at the front door bobbing up and down waiting for him as he slowly walked to her side.

Lena looked down at her bare feet and back at Barsad with a small smile, wordlessly asking for footwear. He smiled back shaking his head curtly denying her request. Barsad grasped her uninjured upper arm and rapped the door three times before pushing it open. They walked out of the penthouse passed the two posted guards and into the elevator.

"Aweful lot of protection for little old me," Lena commented innocently, "It's like you guys think I'll try to escape or something."

Barsad just shook his head knowinly as he pulled a small key from his pocket and inserted it into the elevator panel. Once that was done he pushed the button that would take them down one floor. The ride was fast and smooth and soon they walked into a similar hallway as the floor above. Lena noted that this particular area was unguarded as Barsad walked her to the door and ushered her inside. She was met with the sight of a large indoor pool.

"There's a gym, rec room, and spa farther back, try not to hurt yourself," Barsad commented as he relinquished his grip.

Lena just nodded as she started to look around. She skirted past the pool and head to the back of the large space. Lena concluded that this must be the lower level of the penthouse and her suspicions were confirmed when she reached the back wall and found a spiral staircase leading up. Mentally judging the distance from the front door to the stairs Lena figured the hatch at the top must led to the other side of the locked double doors she'd run into in the hallway above.

She was mentally drawing the layout of the penthouse as she walked into the gym area. In accordance with the penthouse above, the gym was modernly styled and held what had to be every advanced fitness machine money could buy. Lena headed over to the floor mats to do some much needed stretching.

Once she'd loosened up her muscles Lena picked up a light dumbbell testing her injured arm. She still had a little pain but for the most part her range of motion was good and it looked like the sutures would be ready to come out soon. The rest of her workout time she did some easy calisthenics and worked on her escape plan.

* * *

Bane had been out all morning quelling the rebellions around the city. They were becoming far more frequent and better organized and he knew if the leaders weren't dealt with soon things could get out of hand. He traveled up to the penthouse just to be informed that Barsad had taken the girl to the lower level of Dagget's apartment.

Bane retraced his steps to the elevator and proceeded to the floor below. He entered the pool area and found Barsad leaning against the wall, watching the girl stretch in the fitness area. A wall of glass separated the areas so the two men were able to speak freely without worry of being overheard.

Barsad was the first break the silence, "You were out longer than expected, everything alright?"

"Yes my friend these out breaks of rebellion are becoming more troublesome. We need to locate and make examples of whoever is leading this rabble but we will discuss that later how is the little bird doing?" Bane asked.

Barsad recounted the events of the day and Bane chuckled when he found out that the girl bribed his second in command with the promise of not bothering him the rest of the day. Bane pushed away from the wall and made his way to the fitness area door. His hulking body took up most of the doorway as he leaned against the frame watching his captive loosen up her limbs.

As he observed her Bane began to notice that her body, which he had originally written off as average, was actually relatively toned hinting at an athletic life style. Everything about his captive was a mystery to him and as he walked into the room Bane felt a new determination to uncover her secrets.

* * *

**Well there it is everybody. The next chapter will have much more Bane and Lena interaction and you may get to learn more about Lena's daring escape plans. Oh and if you've never seen 'To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything' you should! Awesome movie : ) **


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